26: Chapter 26 Becoming an Apprentice of Master Chen

"Discuss the key points of identifying bronzeware."

"Discuss furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties."

"Discuss the appreciation of foreign sculptures."

"Discuss..."

...

Cao Xiao answered Old Chen's questions with effortless fluency. Later, the others joined in with their own questions, skeptical of his knowledge, and Cao Xiao answered them one by one. It wasn't until Cao Xiao's mouth was parched and his teacup had been refilled twice that the group finally relented.

"Little Cao, your memory is truly excellent. There are some things you remember even more comprehensively than I do. However, antique appraisal isn't just about knowing facts; it requires on-site verification. Give me your phone number. When I have time, I'll take you around; it will be very helpful to you," Old Chen said, his voice full of earnest guidance.

"Brother, why haven't you thanked Old Chen? You're in luck. Study hard under Old Chen from now on." Hearing Old Chen's words, Liu Guitang knew that the elder had taken a liking to Cao Xiao's talent and intended to keep him close for instruction, so he spoke to Cao Xiao with delight.

"Thank you, Old Chen!" This outcome was exactly what Cao Xiao wanted, so he stood up and gave Old Chen a deep bow.

"Old Chen, I think this young man is quite good. Why not take him as a disciple and pass on your mantle? It's hard to find young people these days who can settle down and learn appraisal knowledge. His photographic memory alone is a rare find. You'd better act fast, or he might fly away," He Qianyun said.

"What nonsense are you talking! Though, I do have that intention. Cao Xiao, are you willing to study under me?" Old Chen gave He Qianyun an annoyed glare before looking at Cao Xiao seriously and asking.

"Of course I am, Master!" Cao Xiao was even more excited and was about to kowtow to Old Chen on the spot.

"Get up. There's no need for those old-fashioned rituals now. You are my student, not a disciple in the old sense. Just call me Teacher," Old Chen said, helping Cao Xiao up.

"Congratulations, Old Chen, on finding such a fine student!" everyone congratulated him in unison.

"Since you call me Teacher, I will be responsible for you from now on. By entering my tutelage, you must uphold the integrity of the Five Constants and Five Virtues. Can you do that?" Old Chen continued to watch Cao Xiao with a serious expression.

"I will keep it firmly in mind and will not let you down, Teacher," Cao Xiao said solemnly. But in his heart, he added another phrase: 'A gentleman is not a vessel.'

It was no wonder Old Chen was so solemn. In ancient times, if a master had no sons, a disciple could inherit the master's family estate; the saying 'a teacher for a day, a father for a lifetime' was beyond dispute. Times had changed, and those old rules no longer applied, but Old Chen didn't view him as a mere tuition-paying student. He saw him as a true successor to his mantle, someone to inherit his lifelong skills. Moreover, he required him to uphold the Five Constants and Five Virtues. The Five Constants refer to the path of Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, and Trust—the basic moral standards of being human. The Five Virtues refer to Gentleness, Kindness, Respect, Frugality, and Deference—important elements of traditional morality, which mean being kind to others at all times. Gentleness is a harmonious appearance; Kindness is a good heart; Respect is inner solemnity; Frugality is thriftiness; and Deference is humility. These were originally the Confucian standards for social conduct. No matter how times change, these basic morals remain applicable. Old Chen used these to constrain him, fearing he might go astray.

"This is a gift from me. I hope that in the future, you will be like this jade—pure and flawless." Old Chen took a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Cao Xiao.

"Thank you, Teacher. I currently have no valuable possessions, so I will offer this Kynam bracelet I just found as my apprenticeship gift. I hope you won't find it beneath you." Cao Xiao held the Kynam bracelet from the table in both palms and presented it to Old Chen.

"Then I shall brazenly accept it. This apprenticeship gift of yours is quite substantial. Haha!" Old Chen said with gratification.

"Teacher, although this pendant is Hetian Green Jade, it has been handled and polished by people for centuries, making it moist and translucent. Its value is no lower than those wooden beads! It is I who am gaining the advantage here," Cao Xiao said modestly.

"Your eye for detail is truly good; you saw the quality of this jade at a single glance. This jade has been handled by my family for four hundred years across generations, but it could no longer be passed down once it reached me. My children don't have the temperament to care for it, and your senior fellow apprentices are somewhat lacking in focus. So, I hope you can continue to polish it. I'll teach you the methods for handling jade another day. Keep it safe; in your lifetime, you might even see the day it gains spirituality," Old Chen said, looking at Cao Xiao with great satisfaction.

"Yes, Teacher!" Cao Xiao felt that what Old Chen said was a bit fantastical. Legends of precious jade possessing spirituality have existed since ancient times, but to this day, they remain only legends. Naturally, Cao Xiao wouldn't go against Old Chen's sentiments and nodded solemnly in agreement.

He Qianyun looked at the bracelet in Old Chen's hand, hesitating to speak. As someone obsessed with incense culture, it was painful to watch a top-quality Kynam bracelet slip away before his eyes. Since Cao Xiao had given it to Old Chen as an apprenticeship gift, it was no longer appropriate for him to offer to buy it. He could only blame himself for acting too late and missing the chance.

"Little Liu, call your wife and tell her not to bother with the cooking. Have her come over later. I'll splurge once today and have Chu Pinghu make an exception to set a table for us," Old Chen said happily to Liu Guitang.

"Alright, today definitely calls for a celebration. Only Old Chen has the face to get Chu Pinghu to make an exception; the rest of us have to follow the rules when we go. I'll make the call right now," Liu Guitang replied.

"Teacher, is the Chu Pinghu you mentioned the Master Chu from Xiangya Ju?" Cao Xiao asked, his heart stirring.

"You've been there?" Old Chen asked curiously.

"I have, and I even had a dispute with that Master Chu. He was driving my guest out," Cao Xiao answered honestly after getting his confirmation.

"Pinghu wouldn't drive someone out for no reason. Who was this guest of yours?" Old Chen became even more curious, looking at Cao Xiao with suspicion.

"Her name is Huang Chunxiang," Cao Xiao said.

"No wonder. This matter... sigh! You can't really blame him! Don't take it to heart; it's not my place to say much about the history between their two families." Old Chen gave a sigh, then became somewhat amused. "That Huang Chunxiang still can't fix her gluttonous habits. To think she'd send you to book a meal just so she could eat—she deserved to be kicked out. By the way, what is your relationship with Huang Chunxiang?"

"Uh, I'm friends with her daughter, He Yueyou," Cao Xiao said sheepishly, not wanting Old Chen to ask about this.

"Haha, you mean boyfriend and girlfriend, right? Otherwise, why would Huang Chunxiang have you book a meal? With a mother like Huang Chunxiang, that little girl Yueyou doesn't have many male friends," Old Chen laughed heartily.

"Hehe!" Cao Xiao could only respond with a dry laugh.

"What's there to be embarrassed about? That little girl is quite good, and you're not young anymore. Discuss it with your family, and once things are ready, I'll take you to her door to propose marriage," Old Chen said dominantly.

"Teacher, are you well-acquainted with Yueyou's family?" Cao Xiao asked excitedly upon hearing Old Chen's words.

He couldn't quite call what he had with He Yueyou 'love' yet, and he didn't know what she thought of him. However, when Mother He treated him as her boyfriend, she hadn't objected. He had never confessed to He Yueyou, but anyone with eyes could see his feelings for her. Still, wouldn't it be a bit abrupt to go and propose marriage like this?

"More than just well-acquainted. The connection between Old Chen and the He family is quite deep. Strictly speaking, he's an elder to He Hongsheng. But if you and Yueyou actually end up together, the seniority... tsk tsk!" Liu Guitang chimed in before Old Chen could speak.

"You're just a busybody, talking in such a weird tone. There's nothing difficult to say about it. I am Hongsheng's cousin-uncle; his father and I are cousins. But we can keep the titles separate. If you and Yueyou really get together, you can call me Teacher or Great-Uncle—I'll answer to either. It just makes us closer!" Old Chen said to Liu Guitang with slight mock-anger, then spoke affectionately to Cao Xiao.

"Teacher, let me think about the marriage proposal for a bit. As for Xiangya Ju, let's not go there, so as not to make things difficult for others," Cao Xiao said.

"Alright, we'll keep it casual today. Come over to my house for a meal another day." Old Chen didn't force the issue. Everyone was tired of the food at ordinary restaurants or five-star hotels anyway; it was better to eat some home-cooked food that suited their palates.

"By the way, Teacher, could I trouble you to donate these five silver dollar notes to the museum for me?" Cao Xiao picked up the paper currency from the table and handed it to Old Chen.

He had originally intended to sell the bracelet and the notes at Liu Guitang's place. But the most valuable item, the bracelet, had already been given to his teacher. Although these notes were worth over a million, it was a drop in the bucket compared to the money he needed. Besides, since his teacher worked at the museum, he didn't know his teacher's attitude toward cultural relics or if he would be offended by him selling them. It was better to handle it in front of his teacher to gauge his reaction and avoid being scolded later.

"You're quite thoughtful. I'll just keep one; one copy is enough for the museum's collection. You keep one for yourself, and the three of you can each take one. It's not free; you have to pay. These things are quite rare, so at four hundred thousand each, you're getting a bargain." Old Chen was very gratified. Cao Xiao's actions proved that he wasn't a mercenary person. Since the student was generous, he naturally wouldn't let Cao Xiao suffer a loss, so he spoke to the others with a look that seemed to say they were getting a huge deal.

He Qianyun and the others were stunned by Old Chen's words. Although these notes were rare, they had been sold at auction houses before for just over three hundred thousand. After deducting commissions, the owner wouldn't even get three hundred thousand. In a private transaction, they would go for twenty-five thousand at most. Old Chen was asking them for four hundred thousand—he wanted them to cover the cost of the one being donated to the museum as well!

"Old Chen, you're shaking down the rich!" Liu Guitang said, stuck between laughter and tears.

"Don't complain after getting a bargain. Hurry up and pay!" Old Chen said, staring at Liu Guitang.

"Uh, paying, paying. You two hurry up as well," Liu Guitang said sheepishly, thinking that at least he wasn't the only unlucky one.

"Fine, I'll pay. If I keep this for eight or ten years, it'll be worth this much when I take it out." Fang Yongchang pulled out his phone to pay, his words dripping with a reluctance that anyone could hear. He meant that Old Chen was selling something at its projected price ten years from now.

"If you don't want it, then forget it. Good things aren't hard to sell. Qianyun, I'll give the extra one to you. You should thank Yongchang, otherwise you wouldn't be able to buy two," Old Chen said nonchalantly.

He Qianyun felt extremely aggrieved. He hadn't said a word and yet he'd been caught in the crossfire. It was all Fang Yongchang's fault for being a busybody. So he glared at him and addressed him by his full name: "Fang Yongchang, do you really not want it? Don't let Old Chen's good intentions go to waste!"

"I want it, I want it! How could I not want such a good thing!" Fang Yongchang didn't know how else to express himself and could only pretend to be willing.

Watching from the side, Cao Xiao was a bit speechless. He didn't expect his teacher to have such a side. Four hundred thousand was indeed above the actual value, but his teacher was doing it for his sake, so he couldn't say anything. Besides, four hundred thousand was a small amount to these people. This money was being given out of respect for his teacher; otherwise, unless they absolutely loved the item, who would make a losing deal?

"Old Liu, after dawdling for so long, isn't it time to take us to see those treasures of yours?" After paying, Fang Yongchang spoke to Liu Guitang with some impatience.

"Let's get this straight: you can look, and we can even cut them open. But these raw materials are not for sale," Liu Guitang said.

"Fine. But if something good comes out, you have to spare some for me. You know my company hasn't been doing so well lately. Ever since I offended Kun Po last year, I've had to rely on my peers for all my raw materials," Fang Yongchang said dejectedly.

"We'll see when the time comes. Things are unstable over there right now, and the export of rough stones has decreased. Everyone is having a hard time." Liu Guitang didn't agree directly, which was essentially a rejection.

"Let's go take a look first. Get that big one out and see if it's actually worth anything," Old Chen said.

Cao Xiao finally understood why these people had gathered today—they were going to cut stones. Fang Yongchang had mentioned Kun Po. There is no surname 'Kun' in China, so it had to be someone from abroad. Fang Yongchang ran a jewelry company, and his sources for raw materials were either gemstones or precious metals. Precious metals like gold and silver can be bought anywhere without restriction, so it had to be gemstones—and the kind that only comes from one place. That could only be Burmese jadeite. Over 95% of commercial-grade jadeite on the market comes from Myanmar. The name 'Kun Po' is typical of Myanmar, where people don't have surnames, only names. 'Kun' is the name, and 'Bo' refers to a military officer. Thinking of this, Cao Xiao couldn't help but give Fang Yongchang a strange look. This man was truly odd—running a jewelry company while offending an essential raw material supplier, and then relying on his competitors for a year. His interpersonal skills were something else; after all, peers in the same trade are usually rivals!

Liu Guitang led the group out of the antique street to a factory in the suburbs. This was Liu Guitang's own furniture factory, which mainly produced high-end vintage furniture. They arrived at a fully enclosed large warehouse guarded by specialized personnel. The warehouse stored many stones of all shapes and sizes. Cao Xiao had never dealt with these before and didn't know what they were.

"Old Liu, although this isn't my first time in your warehouse, I'm still impressed every time. Such a grand scale! If all of this were released at once, it would cause no small ripple in the entire market," He Qianyun said with emotion.

"It would be one thing if they were all polished pieces, but these are all uncut rough stones. I've only amassed this much through constant collecting over the years. It's gotten to the point where I don't even dare to cut them open. No one knows what's actually inside; I might just end up coughing up blood from anger," Liu Guitang said, looking at the rough stones in the warehouse with a mix of satisfaction and dread.

"Little Liu, this hobby of yours and your courage are at two complete extremes. I really don't know what the use of hoarding these is if you don't dare to cut them open yourself," Old Chen said jokingly.